Safety signaling device for railway-switches.



PATENTED APR. 9. 1907.

P OLOUTIER. SAFETY SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1906.

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TINTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

SAFETY SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAlLWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 9, 1907.

Application filed November 28, 1906. Serial No. 345,565.

T0 all who/1t it may (IOILCGYH:

Be it known that I, Pnosrnn CLOUTIER, of Three Rivers, in the county ofSt. Maurice, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Safety Signaling Devices for Railway- Switches,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway-switehes of the type in which asemaphore or other signal is used to indicate the condition of theswitch; and the objects of my invention are to provide a simple andc'llicient form of interlocking device which will prevent anyindependent action of either the switch or the semaphore, whereby whenthe switch is open the semaphore must be in a danger position and whenthe semaphore is lowered the switch must be in a closed position. Thisobject I attain by employing the semaphore which normally remains in adanger position, combined with a locking device attached to the switchand which is operated by the same means as lower the semaphore from itsdanger position, whereby when the semaphore is lowered the switch issimultaneously locked in a closed position.

In carrying out the invention I provide a locking device which locks theswitch in its closed position, the arrangement being such that the actof raising the semaphore unlocks the switch and the act of closing theswitch unlocks the semaphore. The actions of raising the semaphore andopening the switch are thus made to depend on each other and cannot takeplace independently.

The construction of the device is described fully in the accompanyingspecification and drawin s, and the parts of the invention are set fortin the accompanying claims. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch andsignaling device made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a topview of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective detail of theoperating mechanism for the switch. Fig. i is an enlarged perspectivedetail of the locking device for the switch and semaphore.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

A is the track, of the usual construction, and a the ties thereof. B isthe switch, and I) and c the pivoted and movable points of the rails,the pivoting means not being shown in the drawings.

61 is the connecting-link, connected to the extremity of these points,the inner end of which. is connected, by means of a connectingbar 0, tothe crank f of the switch-operating mechanism 0. This may be of anywellknown construction, that shown comprising a central shaft 1,journalcd in the casing h, the lower end of the said shaft beingconnected to and operating the crank An operating-handle i is secured tothe shaft 9 above the casing 71 j is a shaft journalcd in bearings 7cand Z, provided on the supporting device m and n for theswitch-operating mechanism. This shaft has provided thereon a detent D,which is provided with two flat surfaces 0 and p, which are adapted toengage a stop 9, provided on the inside of the connecting-rod 6, whenthe detent is rotated into certaln positions.

E is a disk provided with a grooved periphery and secured to the shaft jand having thereon a projecting lug r, the upper surface of which isadapted to be engaged by a spring 8, the opposite end of which issecured to the tie a and which is adapted to normally press the lugdownwardly and hold the shaft 1' in such a position that the surface 0on the detent D will be in engagement with the stop Secured to the diskE and extending around the periphery thereof is a chain or rope t, whichis led around a fixed pulley u and connected to the chain or rope 12,extending between the semaphore F or other signaling apparatus and theoperating mechanism G therefor.

The operating mechanism G is of the type usually employed in connectionwith semaphores or signaling apparatus of this character, comprising adrum w, around which a chain or rope v extends, having on the peripheryof one side thereof a plurality of ratchet-teeth m, which are engaged bythe gravity-operatcd dog 2 on the operating-lever t and by a second dog2, pivoted to the supporting-casing 3.

6 is a lever connected to the dog 2 and adapted when rotated to throwthe dog out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth, whereby the drum maybe free to rotate, carrying with it the lever i. The signaling device orsemaphore F may be of any desirable wellknown construction, that I haveshown comprising a signaling-arm 7, secured to a shaft 8, supported froma post 9, driven in the ground. The opposite end of the shaft 8 hassecured thereto a beveled gear 10, engaging a similar beveled gear 11,secured to a vertically-extending shaft 12, supported in bearings 13,secured to the post 9. The lower end of the shaft has secured thereto agrooved pulley 14, within which is secured a rope or chain 15, theopposite end of which extends around a rotatably-supported grooved disk16, having integral therewith an outwardlyextending arm 17, to the outerend of which is secured a weight 18.

The mechanism is so designed that the arm 17 will be in a substantiallyhorizontal position when the signaling-arm 7 is lowered to a verticalposition, and thus the weight 18 will act to rotate the arm 17downwardly, which will exert a tension through the rope or chain 15 andtend to rotate the shaft 12, moving the signaling-arm 7 into thehorizontal or danger position. The end of the rope or chain c is alsosecured to the pulley 1 1. It will thus be seen that the semaphore isnormally held in a danger position and can only be lowered by a pullexerting through the rope or chain c, which will cause a tension toremain in said rope or chain as long as the semaphore is held in alowered position.

Having now described the various parts of my device, I will brieflypoint out the method of operation of the same. When the switch is in itsclosed position, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the arm of the semaphorewill be lowered, being held in that position by the rope v, wound aroundthe drum w, which is held from rotation by the dogs 11 and z. The switchis locked in position by means of the stob g, which engages the surface20 on the detent D. The switch cannot be move d until the detent D isrotated. This detent is normally held in this position by means of therope or chaint, which will have been tightened at the same time as therope or chain '2) is tightened and the semaphore-arm lowered. When it isdesired to open the switch, the dog ,2 is released by means of the lever6 and the operating-lever l rotated, which will cause the ropes orchains 1) and t to become slack. The weight 18 on the semaphore willthen raise the arm 7 thereof to the danger-signal, while the spring 8will act on the lug r to depress the same and rotate the shaft 7', whichwill rotate the end of the detent D out of contact with the stop g,leaving the switch free to be operated by means of the operatingmechanism C. As long as the semaphore is raised the switch may be closedand opened with freedom. Any attempt to lower the semaphore-arm withoutclosing the switch will be prevented by the stop 9, which engages thesurface 0 on the detent D and prevents rotation of the shaft j, which inturn prevents a sufficient amount of rope or chain 25 being unwound fromoff the disk E to enable the drum w to rotate sufliciently far to lowerthe semaphore-arm. Previous, then, to lowering the semaphore it isnecessary to close the switch. As soon as this is done the semaphore maybe freely operated by means of the operating-lever 4, leaving the trackagain in its original position. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 indicate theopen position of the switch and the corresponding position of thesemaphore-arm.

It ndll thus be seen that I have devised an exceedingly cheap and simpleform of safety device for railway-switches which insures that the switchcan never be opened without a danger-signal being displayed, thusproviding security against accidents from this cause.

it is obvious that any form of switch or semaphore may be employed inconnection with the device, the essential feature being the lockingdevice controlling the operation of both the switch and the semaphore.

/Vhile I have described with great particularity of detail one specificembodiment of the invention, et it is not to be understood that theinvention is limited thereto, as certain changes might be made withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I hat I claim as my invention is 1. In a device of the class describedthe combination with the switch and the operating mechanism therefor,the signal for the switch and the operating-lever therefor located atsome distance therefrom, of a rotatable detent adapted to lock theswitch in its open or closed position, and means operated by thesignal-operating lever for automatically operating said detent tointerlock the switch and signal as and for the purpose specified.

2. An improved safety-switch having a stop secured to a reciprocatingmember of the switch-operating mechanism, a shaft, a detent securedthereto, and upwardly eX- tending therefrom, the end thereof beingadapted to engage the stop and prevent the reciprocative movement of themember, the side of the detent being adapted in another position to beengaged bya stop whereby rotation of the detent and shaft will beprevented, a signal and means operated by the rotation of the shaftsupporting the detent for locking said signal in a danger position asand for the purpose specified.

3. An improved safety-switch having a stop secured to a reciprocatingmember of the switch-operating mechanism, a shaft, a detent securedthereto and upwardly extending therefrom, the end thereof being adaptedto engage the stop and prevent the reciprocative movement of the member,the side of the detent being adapted in another position to be engagedby the stop whereby rotation of the detent and shaft will be prevented,a disk having a grooved periphery secured to the shaft, a signal, anoperating mechanism therefor and a rope or chain connected to the diskand to the operating mechanism of the signal whereby when the disk isrotated into a predetermined position the operation of the signal willbe prevented as and for the purpose specified.

4. An improved safety-switch having a stop secured to a reciprocatingmember of the switch-operating mechanism, a shaft, a detent securedthereto and upwardly extending therefrom, the end thereof being adaptedto engage the stop and prevent the reciproeating movement of the member,the side of the detent being adapted in another position to be engagedby the stop whereby rotation of the detent and shaft will be prevented,a disk having a grooved periphery secured to the shaft, a signal, anoperating mechanism therefor and a rope or chain connected to the diskand to the operating mechanism of the signal whereby when the disk isrotated into a predetermined position the operation of the signal willbe prevented, a lug secured to the disk, and upwardly extendingtherefrom and a spring normally depressing the lug tending to move thedisk into the position which will prevent the operation of the signal asand for the purpose specified.

5, An improved safety-switch comprising a switch, operating mechanismtherefor having a reciprocating member, a stop secured to the saidreciprocating member, a shaft, a de tent secured thereto, and outwardlyextending therefrom, the end thereof being adapted to engage the stopand prevent the reciproeative movement of the member, the side of thedetent being adapted in another position to be engaged by the stopwhereby rotation of the detent and shaft will be prevented, a diskprovided with a grooved periphery secured to the shaft, a signal,gravity-operated means for normally holding it with the dangersignaldisplayed, an operating mechanism for the signal, a rope or chainconnect ed tothe disk and to the operating mechanism of the signalwhereby when the said mechanism is operated the disk and shaft will berotated, a lug integral with the disk, and outwardly extendingtherefrom, a spring normally depressing the lug to rotate the shaft intoa position such that the rope or chain connected thereto will preventoperation of the switchoperating mechanism sub stantially as described.

Signed at Three Rivers, in the Province of Quebec, this 14th day ofNovember, 1906.

PROSPER CLOUTIER.

Witnesses J AOQUES BUREAU, GEORGES GARILPY.

